Method of cleaning transparent device in a thermal process apparatus, thermal process apparatus and process using the same thermal process apparatus

Abstract

A method of cleaning a transparent device in a thermal process apparatus, wherein the transparent device is disposed in a chamber of a thermal process apparatus, and the transparent device includes a wafer holder for carry a wafer disposed under the transparent device, and an energy source output device disposed above the transparent device in the chamber, is provided. The method of the present invention includes performing a surface treatment step to clean a surface of the transparent device.

1 . A method of cleaning a transparent device of a thermal process apparatus, wherein the transparent device is configured in a reaction chamber of the apparatus, and the reaction chamber comprises at least a wafer holder, which is disposed under the transparent device, for holding a wafer, and an energy source output device disposed above the transparent device, the method comprising:
 performing a surface treatment step to clean a surface of the transparent device.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment step removes a coating material on the surface of the transparent device or alters the coating material to become transparent. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  1 , the surface treatment step concurrently cleans the wafer holder. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment step comprises a step of delivering a treatment gas. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein when the coating material is an organic material, and the treatment gas comprises an oxygen gas, an ozone gas, a nitrogen gas, a xelogen gas or a combination thereof, and when the coating material is a metal material or an inorganic material, the treatment gas comprises a halogen gas or a combination of halogen gases. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal process apparatus is a rapid thermal process apparatus. 
   
   
       7 . A fabrication process, in which a thermal process apparatus is applied, and a reaction chamber of the thermal process apparatus comprising at least a transparent device, a wafer holder for holding a wafer, wherein the wafer holder is disposed under the transparent device, and an energy source output device disposed above the transparent device, the process comprising:
 performing a process step on a wafer; and   performing a surface treatment step after the process step to clean a surface of the transparent device and to simultaneously remove a coating material on the surface of the transparent device.   
   
   
       8 . The fabrication process of  claim 7 , wherein the surface treatment step comprises a step of delivering a treatment gas. 
   
   
       9 . The fabrication process of  claim 8 , wherein when the coating material is an organic material, and the treatment gas comprises an oxygen gas, an ozone gas, a nitrogen gas, a xelogen gas or a combination thereof, and when the coating material is a metal material or an inorganic material, the treatment gas comprises a halogen gas or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The fabrication process of  claim 7 , wherein the process step comprises a salicide process, an annealing process, a deposition process, a low dielectric material (low-K) treatment or an ultra-violet curing process. 
   
   
       11 . The fabrication process of  claim 10 , wherein when the process step comprises the salicide process, the wafer is removed from the reaction chamber subsequent to the process step and prior to the surface treatment step. 
   
   
       12 . The fabrication process of  claim 7 , wherein the thermal process apparatus is a rapid thermal process apparatus. 
   
   
       13 . A thermal process apparatus, adoptable in a semiconductor process, the apparatus comprising:
 a transparent device, disposed in a reaction chamber of the device;   a wafer holder for holding a wafer, wherein the wafer holder is disposed under the transparent device;   an energy source output device, disposed above the transparent device; and   a surface cleaning device, disposed in a reaction chamber for cleaning a surface of the transparent device.   
   
   
       14 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the surface cleaning device is disposed between the transparent device the wafer holder, or underneath the wafer holder. 
   
   
       15 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the surface cleaning device removes a coating material of the surface of the transparent device or alters the coating material to become transparent. 
   
   
       16 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the surface cleaning device concurrently cleans the wafer holder. 
   
   
       17 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor process comprises a salicide process, an annealing process, a deposition process, a low dielectric material (low-K) treatment process or an ultra-violet curing process. 
   
   
       18 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the thermal process apparatus is a rapid thermal process apparatus. 
   
   
       19 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 13  further comprises a real-time monitoring system, disposed in the reaction chamber to continuously monitor a transparency of the transparent device. 
   
   
       20 . The thermal process apparatus of  claim 19  further comprises an advance process control (APC) device to automatically feedback detection results to the surface cleaning device.